EFCC Warns Politicians Against Using Its Name to Campaign

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned politicians to play by the rule and desist from dragging the agency into the political arena.

The warning followed the arrest of an outdoor advertisement executive over political advertisements that appeared on two billboards in Enugu bearing the name and logo of the EFCC.

“Politicians (are urged) to play by the rule and refrain from dragging the EFCC into the political fray. It reiterates that apart from issues of economic and financial crimes which fall within its purview, the commission has no role in the political process and should not be distracted,” the EFCC said in a statement.

The anti-graft agency said the two super 48 sheet billboards located at Otigba and Zik Avenue Junctions in Enugu bore offensive messages using the name of the EFCC to threaten the aspiration of some politicians in the state in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.

One of the messages stated, “2023: Enugu PDP Learn from 2007 election… EFCC is Coming with Koboko on corrupt candidates.”

The commission said following credible intelligence received by the commission, EFCC operatives on Saturday arrested the alleged billboard designer, Baron Nnamdi, printer and owner of the billboards hosting the offensive political campaign messages.

He said he was contracted by the media aide to a former Enugu deputy governor with governorship ambition, revealing he was N160,000 for the job.
The EFCC disclosed that it had pulled down the billboards.